Creel stop motion responsive to sliver weight variances



y 1969 J. A. F. RAYFIELD ET AL 3,445,894

CREEL STOP MOTION RESPONSIVE TO SLIVER WEIGHT VARIANCES Filed Feb. 5, 1967 Sheet H :r w T a m M q m a, 7 T; H I 5 mw W DN 5 J Ti Ao a 6 J $3 f Z w ATTORNEYS May 27, 1969 J A. F. RAYFIELD ET AL 3,445,894

CREEL STOP MOTION RESPONSIVE TO SLIVER WEIGHT VARIANCES Sheet Filed Feb. 5. 1967 JAMEs ARTHUR H mvsmozcs: RAY Fl em and CFOEEAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 19-.25 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stop motion characterized by detector fingers riding upon moving slivers and being of such weight as to drop from an inoperative to an operative position when the weight per unit length of a respective sliver drops a predetermined amount below a desired standard, or the sliver becomes unduly slack, parted or exhausted, to stop the machine to which the slivers are being directed.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 362,797, filed Apr. 27, 1964, now Patent No; 3,306,896, and entitled, Creel Stop Motion.

This invention relates to textile sliver processing machinery such as drawing frames and the like, and more especially, to an improved stop motion associated with a creel and which is operable to stop a machine having a demand for textile slivers upon the weight per unit length of an uninterrupted sliver dropping below a desired predetermined weightper unit length in its course to the processing machine.

The creel stop motion of said copending application is provided with strand actuated detector fingers normally supported by the slivers and which are operable to immediately stop the textile machine when a sliver breaks, when the tension in a sliver strand drops below a predetermined level, or when the supply source of a sliver is exhausted.

As is well known, it is important that each of the slivers being fed to a drawing frame or the like is of a predetermined uniform weight per unit length in order that the web or sliver being produced by the drawing frame also is of uniform weight per unit length. Many factors result in portions of a sliver being below a desired standard weight per unit length, such as faulty piece-ups at the carding machine, or the false draft of the sliver when it is being withdrawn from the can at the creel as caused by adjacent coils of sliver adhering to each other in the can. More importantly, in feeding slivers into and through a processing machine by means of a creel, the weight per unit length of slivers or portions thereof is frequently undesirably reduced because a portion of the sliver splits away from the main body of the sliver, and frequently the processing machine might continue to operate for some considerable period of time before the presence of a faulty sliver of this type in the creel would be discovered and corrected by the operator of the machine. In such conditions, the residual split away portion of a sliver may subsequently adhere to another portion of the sliver body,

thus producing an abnormally thick or heavy place in the sliver. Obviously, if such undesirable light-weight and heavy-weight portions of sliver enter the processing machine, the resulting sliver or web is of undesirable nonuniformity and results in attendant difiiculties in further processing.

It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide means for automatically stopping a textile processing machine when the weight per unit length of any one or more of the slivers being fed to the machine drops a predetermined amount below a predetermined standard, and wherein detector fingers are employed which are of such weight and so mounted as to apply a predetermined etfective weight upon each sliver and thereby to detect a drop in the weight per unit length of a portion of the sliver, although the sliver is still being advanced in uninterrupted condition toward the sliver processing machine, and wherein, upon such detection of a portion of the sliver of an abnormally light-weight per unit length, the corresponding detector finger gravitates from a raised inoperative position to a lowered operative position eifective to stop the machine.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accomapnying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the creel stop motion in association with a drawing frame;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view, mostly in elevation, taken substantially along line 22 in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view looking along line 33 in FIGURE 2, showing a first embodiment of one of the detector fingers of the instant invention;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, taken substantially along line 44 in FIGURE 2, but showing the weight arm of the detector finger bent in dilferent positions with the finger supported in a normal, raised, operative position by a sliver of the desired predetermined weight per unit length;

FIGURE 5' is a view similar to FIGURE 4, showing the detector finger occupying a lowered, operative position as a result of the splitting of the corresponding sliver;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the detector finger of the instant invention in association with a corresponding fragmentary portion of the creel and provided with an adjustable weight member; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 77 in FIGURE 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the stop motion of the present invention is shown in association with the creel of a drawing frame 14; however, it is to be understood that the stop motion may be used with creels of other types of textile processing machines. The drawing frame is shown as being of the two-delivery type in that it includes two drafting units A, A which may include respective series of top and bot-tom drafting rolls 15, 15' driven by an electric motor 16. Drafting rolls 15, 15' draw or pull respective groups of slivers S, S from a creel 1-7 and, as the groups of slivers S, S are drafted through the respective dra-fing rolls 15, 15', they emerge from the drafting units A, A and are usually condensed into respective sliver-s S2, S2 which may be coiled into suitable cans, not shown, by means of respective coiler mechanisms 20, 20', as is usual.

As shown, creel 17 is substantially of the type disclosed in our said copending application and includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced rotary sliver supports, broadly designated at 21, which are driven in timed relation to the drawing frame, although the stop motion of the present invent-ion may be used in association with a creel having stationary sliver supports. In this instance, creel 17 comprises an elongate drive housing 25 whose front end portion may be suitably attached to the frame of the drawing frame and which may be supported at not shown. Housing 25 has the medial portions of a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely extending lifter roll drive shafts 26 journaled therein, beneath opposite end portions of which corresponding coiler cans C, C or other suitable sources of sliver supply are positioned.

A medial portion of each lifter roll drive shaft 26, within housing 2'5, has a helical gear 30 fixed thereon which is engaged by a corresponding helical gear 31. Only one of the helical gears 31 is shown in FIGURE 2 although it is apparent that a separate helical gear 31' is provided for driviing each lifter roll drive shaft 26. Helical gears 31 are mounted on a common main drive shaft 32 suitably journaltd in and extending longitudinally of housing 25. Main drive shaft 32 is connected at'its forward end in a suitable manner, not shown, to the drive of the drawing frame so as to, in effect, be driven by electric motor 16.

Each sliver support 21 comprises a lifter roll 34, there being one of the lifter rolls 34 fixed on or formed as a portion of each of the two outer end portions of each lifter roll shaft 26. -It is preferred that the exterior surface of each lifter roll 34 is largely, if not entirely, of hexagonal or other polygonal configuration as shown in FIGURES 3- 6. Additionally, it is preferred that the lifter rolls 34 are of progressively increasing length from the rear end portion to the front end portion of the creel, since they need only be of sufficient length to accommodate the number of slivers passing thereover. As shown, one sliver passes over each of the rearmostor first sliver supports 21, two slivers pass over each of the second sliver supports, etc. and, ultimately, all the slivers on each side of the creel 17 pass over the respective foremost sliver support 21.

Each sliver support 21 also comprises a disc or retaining member 35 of substantially greater diameter than the distance across the flats of the hexagonal lifter rolls 34 and which may be secured against each end of each lifter roll by any suitable means such as a set screw 36 hearing against the corresponding lifter roll drive shaft 26. Discs 35 may be similar to the separator collars shown in association with the lifter roll shafts of our copending application, although it has been found unnecessary to provide .separator collars between adjacent slivers passing over the corresponding lifter rolls 34 in the present instance. Instead, at least one pair of substantially C-shaped guide brackets are arranged in closely spaced relationship adjacent each lifter roll 34 to aid in guiding a sliver upwardly therebetween from the adjacent can C or C therebeneath and over the corresponding roll 34.

The C-shaped guide brackets may be identical to each other. However, it is preferred that two types of such brackets are used in which one, first, type of C-shaped bracket,indicated at 40, serves as a combination sliver guide and support for a respective detector finger 43 to be later described, and the other, second, type of C-shaped bracket, indicated at 41, serves as a sliver guide, but does not support a detector finger. The two types of C-shaped brackets may differ from each other in that the upper arcuate portion of each bracket 41 is shorter than and terminates rearwardly of the lateral plane of the adjacent bracket 40.

Since some or all of the slivers may divert from their normal paths of travel at the foremost creel lifter roll 34, each foremost lifter roll 34 may be provided with a sufiicient number of the desired type of the aforementioned C-shaped guide brackets so that each sliver S, S

passes between two adjacent C-shaped guide brackets to be guided thereby at the foremost lifter roll 34.

A single detector finger 43 is provided for each sliver beingdrawn upwardly from a can C or C there'beneath, so that a single detector finger is used in association with each lifter roll 34 except the foremost lifter roll. Ac-

cordingly, one of each of the two types of C-shaped brackets 40, 41 are provided adjacent each lifter roll 34 except the foremost lifter roll. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, if desired, all the slivers passing over each foremost lifter roll may be normally engaged by respective detector fingers. Therefore, a number of the first type of brackets 40 is provided equal to the number of slivers passing over each of the foremost lifter rolls 34 and one of the second type of brackets 41 is provided adjacent one end of each of the foremost lifter rolls 34.

The lifter roll 34 shown in FIGURES 3-6 is one of the two foremost lifter rolls shown adjacent the drawing frame 14 in FIGURE 1.

The C-shaped guide brackets 40, 41 associated with each lifter roll 34 are suitably secured at their lower portions on a transversely support bar 42. Preferably, each support bar is round in cross-section so the guide brackets 40 may be adjusted about the axis of each support bar 42. The arcuate upper portion or body of each C-shaped bracket 40, 41 is preferably substantially concentric with the axis of the corresponding lifter roll drive shaft 26, but is of an internal radius of about 2 to 4 times greater than one-half the distance across the flats of the hexagonal lifter rolls 34.

According to the invention, at least one detector finger -43 normally rides upon each sliver and is of such a weight and so mounted as to apply a predetermined effective weight upon the sliver at a point closely adjacent, but spaced longitudinally from, a corresponding sliver support or lifter roll 34. The effective weight applied to the sliver by the finger is such relative to the standard or desired weight per unit length of the sliver that the sliver normally holds the finger in a raised, inoperative position, but will permit the finger to gravitate downwardly to a lowered or operative position upon a predetermined drop in the weight per unit length of the sliver below the standard weight thereof while the sliver is still being advanced over the corresponding sliver support. Upon gravitation of the corresponding detector finger to the operative position, the machine is stopped automatically.

A single detector finger 43 engages each corresponding sliver S or S at a point spaced forwardly of but closely adjacent the particular lifter roll at which the corresponding sliver is being pulled upwardly over the lifter roll. If desired, and as heretofore stated, an additional or secondary detector finger, of the same construction as detector finger 43, may be provided for each of those slivers passing over the foremost of the lifter rolls 34 with the exception of the detector finger previously described for those slivers being drawn from cans C, C' immediately beneath the foremost lifter roll. In any event, all of the detector fingers 43 may be identical and may operate in the same manner and, therefore, only one of the detector fingers of the first embodiment will be described with particular reference to FIGURES 2-5.

The lower free end of each detector finger 43 normally rides upon and is supported by a corresponding sliver S or S at a point closely adjacent but spaced longitudinally from the corresponding lifter roll 34 with respect to the direction in which the sliver is being pulled by the drawing frame. Detector finger 43 includes a pair of downwardly extending side flanges 44 which straddle the corresponding sliver. The upper portion of each detector finger 43 is pivotally supported on a pivot pin 46 which defines a substantially horizontal pivotal axis spaced above the corresponding sliver support or lifter roll 34. Pivot pin 46 is preferably in the form of a shoulder screw having an enlarged head on one end and a reduced threaded portion on the other end that is screwed into the forward upper end of one of the C-shaped brackets 40 straddling the corresponding sliver. Each finger 43 may be maintained in the proper position on its pivot pin 46 by a spacing sleeve 47.

To facilitate threading the sliver between the adjacent pair of C-shaped brackets normally straddling a corresponding sliver, that C-shaped support bracket 40 which does not have a pin 46 connected thereto may be relatively shorter than the other bracket 40 and the head of the pin 46 may be spaced inwardly from the next adjacent C-shaped bracket 40 or 41 to provide an access passageway between adjacent C-shaped support brackets through which the corresponding sliver may be inserted for threading the same over the corresponding lifter roll 34. Additionally, the rear edges of flanges 44 extend at an angle or slope forwardly so that, during the threading of a sliver, a medial portion of the sliver may be moved downwardly and pulled forwardly against the sloping rear edge of the corresponding flange or flanges 44, thus lifting the corresponding detector finger 43 so the sliver will be automatically positioned in alignment beneath the detector finger with the finger supported and riding upon the sliver.

The lifter rolls 34 serve as contact means positioned in the path of movement of the corresponding detector finger or fingers 43 and below the same. The length of the flanges 4'4, and the relative location of the lifter rolls and the flanges of the detector fingers are such that the strand under normal tension; i.e., when being pulled forwardly by the drawing frame rolls 15, maintains the flanges 44 out of engagement with the corresponding lifter roll 34 but, upon the occurrence of substantially less than normal tension in the corresponding sliver or a drop in the weight per unit length of the sliver while being engaged by the detector finger, and also during the absence of the sliver between the detector finger and the corresponding lifter roll, the flanges 44 are operable to engage the corresponding lifter roll 34. Also, an electrical circuit means is operatively associated with each detector finger and the corresponding lifter roll 34 and is operable in response to engagement of the flanges 44 of the detector finger 43 with the corresponding lifter roll 34 for stopping the textile machine.

Accordingly, each lifter roll 34 is grounded, as at 50 (FIGURE 2), through the corresponding lifter roll drive shaft 26. Whenever any one or more of the detector fingers engages a corresponding lifter roll 34, it closes a circuit to the coil of an electrorn-agneticrelay 51, thus moving the armature or switch 52 of relay 51 to open position, out of engagement with a contact 53. Electric motor 16 is connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, through the switch 52 and in parallel with the primary winding of a transformer 54 so that, upon energization of the coil of relay 51, the circuit to motor 16 is broken to stop the drawing frame.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the low voltage secondary winding of transformer 54 has one end thereof grounded at 55 and the other end is connected to one end of the coil of relay 51. The other end of the coil has a conductor means 56 extending therefrom to each support bar 42, the support bars 42 being suitably electrically insulated from the lifter roll drive shafts 26, as at 57. Since the support bars 42, the C-shaped support brackets 40, the pivot pins 46 and the detector fingers 43 are metallic, it is apparent that they serve as conductors to energize the coil of relay 51 whenever any one or more of the detector fingers engages or contacts a corresponding lifter roll 34.

The lifter rolls or rods 34 are of polygonal or hexagonal cross-section so as to impart a pulsating motion to the slivers being pulled over the lifter rolls 34 to open the fibers of the slivers to some extent. Thus, the slivers, in turn, normally impart a rapid vertical reciprocating motion to the respective detector fingers, and the consequent inertia of each downward movement of the fingers increases the sensitivity of each finger in detecting the presence of abnormally light weight or unduly slack sliver therebeneath. However, in order to ensure that the detector fingers are effective to actuate relay 51 whenever any one or more of the fingers 43 gravitates to operative position and engages a corresponding lifter weight of weight arm roll 34, each lifter roll 34 is provided with peripheral circular raceways 60 aligned with the flanges 44 of each detector finger 43, thus providing smooth surfaces for engagement by the flanges 44 of any detector fingers 43 which are permitted to gravitate to operative position. Raceways 60 are preferably formed by cutting peripheral grooves in the corresponding lifter rolls 34 with the diameter of each raceway preferably being about equal to the distance across the flats of each respective lifter roll 34. Lifter rolls 34, or at least raceways 60' thereof, are metallic and thereby grounded through shafts 26.

Various means may be provided to ensure that the effective weight of that portion of each detector finger 43 riding upon a corresponding sliver S or S is such as to cause the free end of each detector finger 43 to gravitate to operative position with its flanges 44 in engagement with the corresponding raceways 60 upon a predetermined drop in the weight per unit length of the silver below the desired predetermined or standard weight thereof while the sliver in uninterrupted condition is being advanced over the corresponding sliver support or lifter roll 34. Of course, upon any one of the slivers becoming unduly slack, becoming broken, of becoming exhausted, the flanges of the corresponding detector finger 43 will also gravitate to the operative position heretofore described.

In the first embodiment of the detector finger 43, as best shown in FIGURES 2-5, the means for determining the effective weight of the free end of the detector finger 43 riding upon the corresponding sl'iver is shown in the form of an upstanding weight arm 62 which may occupy a substantially vertical or dead-center position with respect to pivot pin 46 while the body of the detector finger 43 occupies its normal inoperative position, substantially as shown in [FIGURE 3. It is preferred, however, that the weight are 62 is inclined forwardly at a relatively slight angle of, say, about five degrees, with respect to the vertical to ensure that weight arm 62 does not tend to ove-rbalance the detector finger 43 during the pulsating motion transmitted thereto through the sliver S from the corresponding lifter roll 34. Thus, upon the weight per unit length of the sliver S dropping a predetermined amount below the predetermined standard, such as by splitting of the sliver so that the intact main body of the :sl-iver S extending between the corresponding lifter roll 34 and the next succeed-ing lifter roll or the drawing frame has substantially less than normal inherent tensile strength, the weight of the free end of the detector finger 43 upon the sliver S will bow the sliver downwardly and, as the free end of the detector finger moves downwardly, the effective weight thereof will increase as the upper portion of the weight arm 62 moves forwardly or -to the right of the pivot pin 46 in FIGURE 3. This ensures that the flanges 44 of the detector finger 43 will contact the raceways 60 of the correspond-ing lifter roll 34, even though the sliver S will not have parted. Thus, the operation of the drawing frame will be stopped upon a predetermined drop in the weight per unit length thereof at the corresponding detector finger 43.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, instead of weight arm 62 ex tending upwardly in the straight form shown in FIGURE 3, the weight arm 62 is shown in solid lines bent forwardly and downwardly intermediate its ends to form a weight tab 63 thereon which may be doubled against the body of weight arm 62 or which may be bent in an inverted V-shaped form as shown in dotted lines in FIG- URES 4 and 5 to distribute a greater portion of :the 62 forwardly of the axis of pivot pin 46 and thereby effect an increase in the effective weight of the portion of the detector finger 43 riding upon the corresponding sliver S.

The effective weight of the detector finger 43 may be further increased by leaving the weight arm 62 in its straight form shown in FIGURE 3, but by bending the same forwardly to a substantially horizontal position from a point closely adjacent the pivot pin 46 so that a still greater portion of the weight arm 62 overlies the body of the detector finger 43, as shown in dash-dot lines in FIGURES 4 and 5.

In the modified embodiment of FIGURE 6, the detector finger 43' is substantially the same as the embodiment of FIGURES 2-5 with the exception that the weight arm 62' not only overlies and extends outwardly from adjacent the pivot point 46 of the detector finger 43', but it also is provided with an adjustable Weight member 66 thereon which may be adjusted toward and away from the pivot point of detector finger 43' to respectively decrease and increase the effective weight of detector finger 43' upon the sliver S. The weight member 66 may be mounted for adjustment on arm 62' in any desired manner and, as shown, weight arm 62 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 67 therethrough which is loosely penetrated by an adjustment screw 70 threaded into the weight member 66. Weight arm 62' may be suitably graduated, as at 71 in FIGURE 6, to aid an operator in determining the optimum location of weight member 66 with respect to Weight arm 62. For example, the graduations 71 may be arranged to indicate certain fractions of an ounce, or they may be arranged to indicate the grain weights per unit length of slivers with which the detector finger 43' may be used. The remaining parts shown in FIGURE 6 may be identical to those of FIGURES 2-5 and will, therefore, bear the same reference characters to avoid repetitive description.

'In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a textile sliver processing machine, such as a drawing frame, for processing a plurality of slivers each of desired predetermined weight per unit length, said machine having pulling means operable to pull and thereby advance the slivers from respective sources, a creel extending rearwardly of the machine and including a plurality of spaced sliver supports extending transversely beneath and in engagement with slivers for guiding the slivers in their course from the sources to the processing machine; the combination therewith of a sliver actuated stop motion associated with each sliver and responsive to the parting thereof for stopping the machine, at least one of said stop motions also being operable to stop the machine upon the weight per unit length of the corresponding sliver dropping a predetermined amount below said predetermined weight While the sliver is being advanced, said one stop motion comprising a detector finger normally riding upon the sliver and being of such a weight and so mounted as to apply a predetermined effective Weight upon the sliver at a point closely adjacent but spaced longitudinally from one of said sliver supports with respect to the direction of pull of the sliver, said effective weight applied to the sliver by the finger being such relative to said desired weight per unit length of the sliver that the sliver normally holds said finger in a raised inoperative position but will permit said finger to gravitate downwardly to a lowered operative position upon a predetermined drop in the weight per unit length of the sliver below said predetermined weight thereof while the sliver, in uninterrupted condition, is being advanced over said one sliver support, means responsive to gravitation of said finger to said operative position for stopping the machine, means supporting said detector finger for movement on a substantially horizontal pivotal axis spaced above said one sliver support, said finger having a free end riding upon and applying said effective weight upon the corresponding sliver, and means operatively associated with said detector finger for increasing the effective weight thereof during its downward movement and decreasing the effective weight thereof during its upward movement.

2. A structure according to claim 1, in which said means for increasing and decreasing the effective weight of said detector finger comprises a weight member carried by said finger and extending upwardly in substantial alignment with the pivotal axis of said finger while said finger occupies said raised inoperative position whereby downward movement of said finger causes the upper portion of said weight member to move to that side of the vertical plane of said pivotal axis on which the free end of said finger is disposed to increase the effective weight of said free end.

3. In a textile sliver processing machine, such as a drawing frame, for processing a plurality of slivers each of desired predetermined weight per unit length, said machine having pulling means operable to pull and thereby advance the slivers from respective sources, a creel extending rearwardly of the machine and including a plurality of spaced sliver supports extending transversely beneath and in engagement with slivers for guiding the slivers in their course from the sources to the processing machine; the combination therewith of a sliver actuated stop motion associated with each sliver and responsive to the parting thereof for stopping the machine, at least one of said stop motions also being operable to stop the machine upon the weight per unit length of the corresponding sliver dropping a predetermined amount below said predetermined weight while the sliver is being advanced, said one stop motion comprising a detector finger normally riding upon the sliver and being of such a weight and so mounted as to apply a predetermined effective weight upon the sliver at a point closely adjacent but spaced longitudinally from one of said sliver supports with respect to the direction of pull of the sliver, said effective Weight applied to the sliver by the finger being such relative to said desired weight per unit length of the sliver that the sliver normally holds said finger in a raised in-operative position but will permit said finger to gravitate downwardly to a lowered operative position upon a predetermined drop in the weight per unit length of the sliver below said predetermined weight thereof while the sliver, in uninterrupted condition, is being advanced over said one sliver support, means responsive to gravitation of said finger to said operative position for stopping the machine, and adjustment means carried by said detector finger for adjusting the effective Weight thereof against the sliver.

4. A structure according to claim 3, including means supporting said detector finger for movement on a substantially horizontal pivotal axis spaced above said one sliver support, said finger having a free end riding upon and applying said effective weight upon the sliver, said adjustment means for adjustably varying the effective Weight of the free end of said finger against the sliver including an elongate arm fixed to said finger adjacent said pivotal axis and overlying said finger, and a weight member adjustably mounted on said arm for adjustment toward and away from said pivotal axis.

5. A structure according to claim 3, including means supporting said detector finger for movement on a substantially horizontal pivotal axis spaced above said one sliver support, said finger having a free end riding upon and applying said effective weight upon the sliver, said adjustment means for adjustably varying the effective weight of the free end of said finger against the sliver including an elongate arm fixed to said finger adjacent said pivotal axis and extending above said pivotal axis, said arm including a body and being bent at a medial portion thereof to form a weight tab thereon overlying said finger, said weight tab being bendable to various positions relative to said body so as to regulate the effective weight of said free end against the sliver.

6. In a textile sliver processing machine, such as a drawing frame, for processing a plurality of slivers each of desired predetermined weight per unit length, said machine having pulling means operable to pull and thereby advance the slivers from respective sources, a creel extending rearwardly of the machine and including a plurality of spaced sliver supports extending transversely beneath and in engagement with slivers for guiding the slivers in their course from the sources to the processing machine; the combination therewith of a sliver actuated stop motion associated with each sliver and responsive to the parting thereof for stopping the machine, at least one of said stop motions also being operable to stop the machine upon the weight per unit length of the corresponding sliver dropping a predetermined amount below said predetermined weight while the sliver is being advanced, said one stop motion comprising a detector finger normally riding upon the sliver and being of such a weight and so mounted as to apply a predetermined eflective weight upon the sliver at a point closely adjacent but spaced longitudinally from one of said sliver supports with respect to the direction of pull of the sliver,

said effective weight applied to the sliver by the finger 20 being such relative to said desired weight per unit length of the sliver that the sliver normally holds said finger in a raised inoperative position but will permit said finger to gravitate downwardly to a lowered operative position upon a predetermined drop in the weight per unit length of the sliver below said predetermined weight thereof while the sliver, in uninterrupted condition, is being ad vanced over said one sliver support, means responsive to gravitation of said finger to said operative position for stopping the machine, said one sliver support comprises a driven rotary lifter roll of polygonal exterior cross-section,

said detector finger having at least one sliver guiding side flange extending downwardly therefrom toward said lifter roll and normally held out of engagement with said roll by the sliver, the polygonal cross-section of said roll serving to vibrate the sliver passing thereover so as to open the fibers, said roll having a peripheral annular raceway formed thereon adapted for engagement by said flange upon said downward movement of said finger to said operative position so as to enable continuous contact between said flange and said lifter roll whenever said finger occupies said operative position, and said means responsive to gravitation of said finger to said operative position for stopping the machine including electrical circuit means operatively associated with said finger and said raceway and being responsive to engagement of said flange with said raceway to stop the machine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 683,596 10/1901 Eadie et al 19-.25 XR 2,553,335 5/1951 Scott 19*.25 XR 2,694,838 11/1954 Lathauwer 19.23 2,712,676 7/1955 McIntyre 285l XR 3,305,896 2/1967 Rayfield et al. 19-.25

FOREIGN PATENTS 283 1875 Great Britain. 593,275 5/1959 Italy.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner. 

